I
                           UJ
 Brownfields  2009
 Grant  Fact Sheet
         Camden, AR
EPA Brownfields Program

EPA's Brownfields Program empowers states, commu-
nities, and other stakeholders in economic development
to work together to prevent, assess, safely clean up,
and sustainably reuse brownfields. Abrownfield site is
real property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse
of which may be complicated by the presence or
potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant,
or contaminant. On January 11, 2002, President George
W. Bush signed into law the Small Business Liability
Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. Under this
law, EPA provides financial assistance to eligible
applicants through four competitive grant programs:
assessment grants, revolving loan fund grants, cleanup
grants, and job training grants. The brownfields job
training grants provide residents of communities
impacted by brownfields with the skills and training
needed to effectively gain employment in assessment
and cleanup activities associated with brownfield
redevelopment and environmental remediation. Addi-
tionally, funding support is provided to state and tribal
response programs through a separate mechanism.

Community Description

The City of Camden was selected to receive a job
training grant. Located in southern Arkansas, Camden
(population 13,154) is arural community with a
poverty rate of nearly 23 percent. Approximately 51
percent of Camden residents are minorities. This
  Job Training Grant
   $200,000
   EPA has selected the City of Camden for a job
   training grant. Students will be recruited from
   Camden and eight surrounding counties, with
   priority given to underemployed and unemployed
   residents. Camden plans to train 30 students,
   place at least 19 graduates in environmental
   technician jobs, and track students for one year.
   The training program will consist of three, 344-
   hour training cycles that include coursework in
   HAZWOPER, introduction to brownfields,
   overview of OSHA safety regulations, spill
   response, groundwater remediation, disposal of
   remediation waste, and asbestos supervisor.
   Twelve certifications will be offered. The primary
   trainer will be Southern Arkansas University Tech
   (SAU Tech). Camden will work with SAU Tech
   and the Arkansas Workforce Center to place
   graduates in environmental jobs.
   Contacts
  For further information, including specific grant
  contacts, additional grant information, brownfields
  news and events, and publications and links, visit
  the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/
  brownfields.
  Amber Perry, EPA Region 6
  214-665-3172
  www.epa.gov/region6/brownfields
  Grant Recipient: Camden, AR
  870-836-6436

  The cooperative agreement for this grant has not
  yet been negotiated; therefore, activities described
  in this fact sheet are subject to change.
program will serve the City of Camden and surround-
ing counties within a 50-mile commuting radius that
have been affected by brownfields and economic
decline. According to the city's recent labor market
                                                 Solid Waste and
                                                 Emergency Response
                                                 (5105T)
                        EPA560-F-09-013
                        January 2009
                        www.epa.gov/brownfields

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survey, environmental technicians and certified asbes-
tos abatement workers are in strong demand in south-
ern Arkansas.

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